Yayoi's Peril
by Niry Krane
Summary: Yayoi draws Atsuki's eyes during Art, and later that day Nami goes missing. Yayoi goes after Nami, who left a note and a vital clue to where she went. Silent creeps back into Kisaragi while she is gone, and the sea is calling Atsuki back.
1. Prologue: Gone

Prologue

_Rui Yamase was lounging on her desk. She felt sleepy, incredibly sleepy. Looking down on her cell phone, she noticed a small charm clipped to it._

_"I don't remember buying this," she mused, sitting up and flicking the charm. "It's so ugly, did Mika get it for me? No, that's not it..." Rui struggled to remember, and suddenly, her memories came flooding back._

_Saijo. Atsuki Saijo. He was leaving forever. No._

_Rui burst from Company F, her fortune-telling office, and nearly knocked over Yayoi Kamishiro on her way out._

_"Rui?" Yayoi said in surprise. "I thought we could hang out at the office."_

_"You remember him, right, Yayoi?" Rui pleaded desperately, a soft wind rustling her blonde curls. _

_Yayoi replied, "Remember who?" her brows met in confusion._

_"Saijo, the transfer student! Why can't anyone remember? He saved us!" Rui's voice rose to a shout and Yayoi flinched._

_"I don't know what you're talking about, Rui. Who's Saijo?"_

_Rui felt tears beginning to come to her eyes, but she placed a hand on Yayoi's shoulder. Immediately, Yayoi stiffened, her memories of Atsuki Saijo flooding back as Rui's power pooled into her._

_But Rui ran right by her._

_"Honestly, Shinji," Mika Nozaki was saying, her arms laden with shopping bags. "I'm never shopping with you again."_

_"I told you," Shinji Naruse rolled his eyes. "Be careful what you buy. You just spend money randomly, you'll regret it later."_

_"Randomly?" Mika looked surprised for a second, then grinned. "I guess you're right."_

_"Hey," Shinji squinted at the stores ahead of them. "Isn't that Rui?"_

_"Yeah, I think so," Mika tilted her head in puzzlement. "Why is she running so fast?"_

_When Rui finally reached them, she shoved violently past, her power returning all the memories of Saijo that the Fort had erased. But Rui didn't stop._

_She met Ryo Unami, arms full with a pile of books, resurfacing his memories, and, out of breath, she stopped at Sweet Ring, Kenichi Mido's cake shop._

_"Hey, Rui!" Akira Mido, Kenichi's son, protested as Rui swung herself onto his motorcycle._

_"Akira, please," Rui begged. "You remember Atsuki, right?"_

_"Atsuki who?" Akira shook his head._

_Rui Yamase felt angry suddenly, and she hit Akira out of the way, giving him his memories of Saijo and a large purple bruise on his arm._

_"Please don't go, Saijo." Rui prayed as she roared down the street. "I never even got to say thanks." The bike seemed to go so incredibly slow. "Faster, faster," Rui pleaded. "Please, God. Please let Saijo be there. Please."_

_But when Rui reached the bridge to the next town, it was empty. The wind was the only thing to stir across the sky, and finally, Rui's tears leapt forward._

_"Dammit, Atsuki..." she whispered, one hand holding up the bike and the other hand hanging limply at her side. A cool wind blew her blond hair from her face, and Rui stood there for a long time, thinking about what she could never say._

_Atsuki Saijo was gone._

_* * *  
_


	2. Chapter One: Nami's Choice

CHAPTER ONE

"I can't believe he's gone," Rui sighed heavily. Sitting at the café during lunch period in Kisaragi School with Yayoi and Mika wasn't as comforting as before. Her tea sat cold and forgotten in front of her on the table.

"I miss him." Mika's teacup was empty, but she looked sick.

"Nami said he had powers," Yayoi piped up. "and that's why he couldn't stay."

Rui looked sullenly down into her teacup. The rosehip concoction swirled dully within it. "The school festival is next week on Friday," she said. "I was hoping he'd stay for at least that. I don't want Akira to get stuck as my partner again."

Mika smiled despite herself. "I was stuck with you guys too. I accidentally kept stepping on his feet, and you wouldn't stop laughing."

"Nobody asked me to dance," Yayoi sighed. "It looked like so much fun." She bowed her head, her long damask hair hiding her face.

"It wasn't all that great," Mika said quickly. "Even if Akira makes the funniest faces when he dances."

"I was hoping," Yayoi said. "that Saijo would stay for the Festival."

"Why?" Rui asked, stirring her tea with a spoon. "Wait, scratch that. I guess we all were. And Meilin Fu, the chinese girl from Area 3 who ran that cute little shop, what was it called...... Pumpkin Witch! She went back to China, didn't she? When I left school everyday, I always saw Atsuki headed there. I think Meilin and Atsuki were going to go to the Festival together. Now _that_ was a cute couple."

"Meilin Fu? Didn't she have pink hair?" Mika inquired. "And really cool clothes?"

"Yeah, that's her," Rui grinned. "Who knew Atsuki was attracted to the weird type? I alway pictured him with a quiet girl. Like Yayoi."

At the sound of her name, Yayoi's head popped back up. "_Me_?" she croaked. "You always pictured _me_ with Saijo?"

"Yeah!" Rui's smile widened. "You were always so quiet, a behind-the-scenes person, and Saijo was quiet too, like he seemed to be keeping himself away from us. You two were perfect for each other!"

"I don't know..." Yayoi blushed a deep crimson, nearly as red as her hair.

"You did like Atsuki, didn't you?" Mika asked.

"Well, yes, but - " Yayoi was cut off.

"Oooh!" squealed Rui suddenly. "Kamishiro and Saijo! The Quiet Couple!"

"Shut up, Rui!" Yayoi hissed. "Everyone's watching!"

"They don't even know who Atsuki Saijo is, remember?" Rui said. "His pals erased their memories."

"He knew he'd have to leave," Mika whispered suddenly. "That's why he didn't want to make any friends. It'd only hurt to say good-bye."

A long silence stretched between them, and even Rui stopped smiling. Promptly, the bell rang, and the three girls departed for class.

Art with Mr. Mays was Yayoi's next class. But she suddenly found it hard to sketch anything but Saijo's clear dark eyes. They were so mysterious, his eyes. Like they were too old for his seventeen years, as if they had seen far too much.

"Oh, beautiful drawing, Kamishiro!" Arthur Mays stopped behind Yayoi's chair and exclaimed, making her jump. "Whose eyes are they?"

Yayoi replied without thinking. "Atsuki's," she said.

"Whose?" Arthur looked confused. "Who's Atsuki?"

"Um," Yayoi's mind worked frantically for a reply. "He's no one. Someone from, ah, a dream I had. I'm sorry," she reached for her eraser, but Mr. Mays stopped her.

"No," he said softly. "I can remember him." Then, louder, he said, "Okay, that's all for today, go home everyone. Kamishiro," he said suddenly as Yayoi stood. "stay after for a bit."

When the Art Room was empty, Arthur Mays picked up Yayoi's sketch of Atsuki Saijo's eyes, looking intently at it.

"I don't understand," he whispered. "Why did I forget him? If he hadn't stopped me from jumping off Seagull roof, I wouldn't be here. He saved us all, and yet..." Arthur trailed off, still meeting the dark stare of Yayoi's drawing.

"I was going to kill myself too, Mr. Mays," Yayoi said suddenly. "But he helped me. It was a long time ago, but something was wrong with me, and when I looked into his eyes, it all went away."

Unexpectedly, Arthur Mays didn't look up from the drawing of Atsuki's eyes when Yayoi admitted this. Nami had been the only one besides Saijo to know that Yayoi had tried to commit suicide.

"I understand that he had to leave, and why the organization he is a part of erased our memories of him. He just couldn't stay. Leaving was easier for him if he knew we would not remember what he did for us, and how good of friends we were."

Mr. Mays handed the sketch back to Yayoi. "Here. Please, keep this."

"Thank you, Mr. Mays." Yayoi bowed her head respectfully and left the Art Room, hastily stuffing the sketch back into her messenger bag.

Hibiki Kiryu, who was rounding the corner, banged into her and knocked her down. Yayoi's messenger bag split, causing her papers and books to fly everywhere.

"Oh! I'm so sorry, Kiryu," Yayoi stuttered, gathering the scattered contents of her messenger bag.

"No, I'm sorry, Kamishiro," Kiryu bent over to help her. "I wasn't looking where I was going.

As Kiryu helped Yayoi pick up, he came across the sketch of Atsuki's knowing, clear black eyes. Immediately, he froze, staring intently down into the drawing.

"What...?" Hibiki began to ask, but Yayoi snatched the drawing away from him.

"That's mine. I'm sorry for keeping you." Yayoi shoved the sketch into her notebook and held the rest of her things in her arms. "See you later, Kiryu."

Hibiki didn't answer her. Yayoi turned back once, to see if he remembered, but he just stood there, stunned, and in his eyes Yayoi could see his mind was furiously working. It was possible that Hibiki needed more than a drawing of Saijo's eyes to remember. But then again, Saijo had visited Hibiki in the hospital, and they had been good friends.

Yayoi kept her head down as she passed Aoi Matsumura, the reading teacher, who was waving good-bye to the students in the quad. Aoi would certainly corner her.

"Yayoi!" Rui called, seeing her rose-haired friend. "Yayoi, over here!"

Glad to keep away from Ms. Matsumura, Yayoi trotted over to Rui, who was chatting with Akira, Mika and Shinji.

"... So I said to Ryo, 'Your books are too hard for me!' but he and Ms. Handa, the part-timer, just kept looking." Rui was saying.

"I'm so glad you three intercepted me before Aoi..." Yayoi sighed. "I don't want to talk to her right now."

"Why not? Aoi's nice enough," Mika asked.

"Because I drew this," Yayoi pulled the haunting sketch from the book and showed it to them.

"Oh, my God..." Rui's brow creased and she couldn't tear her eyes away.

Mika and Shinji stayed quiet.

"Mr. Mays saw it, and he remembered Atsuki." Yayoi explained, retrieving the drawing and breaking the spell.

"It's so sad," Mika burst out. "The organization he worked for could have at least let us keep our memories."

"It's like you said before, Mika," Yayoi recalled. "Since he knew we wouldn't remember him after his duty was fulfilled, it was easier for him to leave. There are other places in the world that need his help."

"I hate him," Akira frowned. "I hate him because I wish he could have stayed."

"Did you hear what Yayoi just said _at all? _" Rui snapped at him. "Saijo couldn't stay, even if he wanted to."

"Who's Saijo?" A voice said suddenly from behind them. It was Aoi Matsumura.

"Umm... He's......" Yayoi searched frantically for something to say, but her mind failed her. Aoi's eyes narrowed.

"Who's Saijo?" she repeated, more slowly.

Rui, the Quick-Lie Queen, cut in to save Yayoi. "He was a friend of ours, he went to a school in another town. But his dad joined the forces and his family had to move away. He kept saying he wanted to stay, but we knew he didn't like his school and really wanted to leave. And we miss him."

"Oh, okay then." Aoi smiled at them. "Hurry home now!"

The five teens needed no more urging. After leaving Kisaragi School, they headed their separate ways.

"I'm home!" Yayoi called through her house, but there was no answer. "Nami?" Yayoi tried again, but the building was still. Their parents were working late that night, so she and Nami would be home alone.

A small envelope was on the table. The front of the envelope simply read, "_YAYOI_". Confused, Yayoi opened the note:

_Dear Yayoi,_

_Since you're reading this, you're probably home from school by now. I left school early to get ready to leave. Please don't be sad. I hate all those people who hurt others for their own entertainment, like Atsuki hates them. People like Miller are out there, ruining and killing people. Melody is gone because of him. At length, Mako is dead because of him. Melody will never really be my friend anymore, and except for you, there's no one left here for me. I chose to join the organization Atsuki is with. I packed what I needed to bring, and I've gone to find him. Don't come looking for me. This is what I want. Bye, Sis._

_~Nami_

Yayoi felt like she'd been punched in the stomach. Her hands began to shake, and she dropped the note to the tiled floor. Nami was gone. Of course, Yayoi couldn't explain this to their parents. No, Yayoi was going after her.


	3. Chapter Two: To Search, Only to be Found

CHAPTER TWO

Yayoi hastily scribbled out a letter to her parents and snatched back up Nami's note. However small, the clue to where she was headed was in the writing.

On her laptop, Yayoi searched "recent mass suicides". Atsuki's organization went toward the trouble, she knew that.

In Y City, a large group of buildings and apartments, a couple of miles from Kisaragi, hundreds of suicides had occurred in just six months. Nami was probably halfway there by now. Damn!

Yayoi ran her hands through her silky red hair. There was no time to hesitate. If she faltered, Nami would slip right through her fingers.

Quickly changing out of her uniform, Yayoi grabbed an extra shoulder bag and shoved a bit of money and food into it, and left the house, putting Nami's note into her pocket as she went. At the last minute, she folded the drawing of Atsuki's eyes and slipped it into her pocket next to the note.

With a last, wistful glance at the kitchen of her home, Yayoi closed the door and didn't look back.

Yayoi took the long way, mostly on purpose. Passing by Arthur's studio, she hesitated.

"Good-bye," she whispered, slowly moving on.

At Kisaragi Station, Yayoi's worst fears became true.

"Yayoi!" Mika Nozaki trotted over to her, eyed her shoulder bag, and asked suspiciously, "Are you going somewhere?"

Yayoi hesitated. If she told Mika the truth, then Mika would insist on going along, and this was something Yayoi knew she should do alone.

"Nami's gone over to the next town for some errands," Yayoi invented. "And she hasn't come back for a while. I'm going to get her."

"What's the bag for?" Mika persisted.

"Just in case we need to get a hotel," Yayoi said quickly. "It's in B City, and if we get lost..." she trailed off somewhat lamely.

"Okay, then." Mika's eyes were narrow and Yayoi could tell she didn't fully believe her story, but hey, Rui was the master at Quick-Lies. "I'm reporting on Lil Shirojima, did you hear about her?"

"The little girl who was abandoned by her parents? Yes," Yayoi replied, impatient to be gone.

"I gotta go get some info from her parents about why they left her. Yikes!" Mika glanced at her watch and shrieked. "I'm late! Razzly's going to tell everyone about this tomorrow morning and I'm not even there yet! Dammit! I hafta run, Yayoi! See you at school tomorrow!"

"Bye..." Yayoi was quiet. Mika was already out of sight among the crowd of people.

Yayoi walked to Y City; she didn't have enough money to catch a train. It was about nine o'clock at night when the buildings loomed into view, the moon bathing them in a silvery glow. As light a silver as Atsuki's hair.

Among the ever-moving mass of people, Yayoi kept her eyes open for a red-headed girl, but couldn't find her. Nami was small, maybe she had managed to slip by.

Another persistent need forced its way through Yayoi's mind. Where was she going to spend the night? A cheap hotel might work, but what about Nami...?

No, no, no. This was all wrong. Well, maybe it had been foolish to assume she would find Nami right off.

Was she staying at the park? There were plenty of animals there.

_So help me, God,_ Yayoi pleaded. _If Nami spends the night in a tree, I'll yell her ears off._

As the moon was nearing its zenith, Yayoi found a small motel on the side of the street. A number of little cabins lined the roadside, and they all looked pretty shabby.

The office was small and dusty, with two windows on either side of a small wood desk, with three rows of keys behind it.

"Hello," Yayoi said nervously to the man at the counter. His eyes were bloodshot and he desperately needed a shave. "How much is a room for the night?"

"Sixty-five dollars," the man replied. His voice was rough. "Not including the cost of food and other stuff."

"I'd only like the night, please," Yayoi crossed her arms, a technique she had learned from Rui. If only she looked as intimidating!

"Then here's your key," the man placed a small copper key on the desk. "Now hand over the money."

Yayoi reluctantly passed over the desired sum. The clerk snatched it up and put it in the cash register. "You're cabin number four. Have a nice night, miss."

"I plan to," Yayoi coldly picked up the key and left the office. Once outside, Yayoi couldn't help laughing. Her heart was pounding like crazy; she'd never really tried to look so frightening.

Her cabin was small and dusty, as if it had never been used, and the bed was hard. Yayoi sat down but didn't sleep right away. Nami was out there, with no one but the animals.

She lay back on the bed and thought some more. WWAD: What Would Atsuki Do? If she was Atsuki, she'd poke around a bit and ask after Nami. If she knew Nami, then she'd probably be somewhere inconspicuous, like an elementary school.

When -_if_, she reminded herself- she found her, then she'd grab her by the wrist and drag her home.

Slightly more relieved, and almost sure Nami would be in the nearest elementary school, or looking for Atsuki, Yayoi fell asleep.

The sun through the only window woke her. Yayoi blinked and sat up. By the brightness of the sun, it was late in the morning. Damn!

Yayoi returned her key to the man at the counter and left as fast as she could. Y City was bustling with life, and she easily blended with the crowd.

"Excuse me, ma'am," she tapped a gaudily-dressed woman on the arm. "Do you know where the nearest elementary school is located?"

The woman turned, and Yayoi caught her breath. It was Tomoyo Hirooka.

"I like your manners, kid," she smiled. Yayoi caught an unhealthy whiff of her sickly sweet perfume. "Hey, haven't we met before?"

"Not that I recall," Yayoi said quickly. "Please, ma'am, I need directions. My little... brother is going to school there." No doubt Hirooka would remember Nami; the girl had called her a fat, ugly witch. Hirooka was no idiot, she could easily connect Nami to Yayoi.

"Alright then. You turn left at the end of this here road, then left again, and then go straight until you see a big, brick, two-story building. That's the school."

Yayoi bowed her head respectfully and murmured her thanks. Hirooka said nothing and mixed once more with the crowd.

Yayoi followed Hirooka's directions exactly, and stood just outside the brick elementary school in a matter of minutes.

The kids were apparently on recess and lunch break. All of them were on the playground, playing tag on the field, or swinging.

Yayoi scanned the children for her sister, but the telltale red hair was not among them. Maybe she was somewhere else...?

"So," a voice came from behind her, making her tense up. "Have you found your 'brother' yet, Kamishiro?" The voice was familiar, it was the voice of someone she was sure she wouldn't see.


	4. Chapter Three: Of Holding Hands

CHAPTER THREE

Yayoi swallowed painfully, and tried to speak. She didn't turn around.

"Sai-Saijo?"

"It's been a while, Yayoi," he replied. Yayoi faced him and threw her arms around him. Then realizing exactly what she was doing, let go of him and stepped back shyly.

"Sorry..." she blushed.

Atsuki shrugged. "S'alright. I get the same from Natsuki every time I see her. And she tries to kiss me." he shuddered, and Yayoi laughed.

"Who's Natsuki?"

"A friend," Atsuki waved the question away. "I know you're looking for Nami."

"Do you know how she is?" Yayoi asked eagerly.

"Yeah, she's okay," Atsuki said. "She's fine, Yayoi. But I'm not even gonna ask how you remembered me. Did Nami...?"

"No, it was Rui," Yayoi answered. "And I thought you weren't gonna ask about it."

"Times change," Atsuki was grinning, but Yayoi knew there was a darker meaning behind what he said.

"Do you know where Nami is?" Yayoi changed the subject.

"Yeah," Atsuki's smile grew wider. "I found her yesterday around midnight, walking around the western side of the city, looking for me. She's been living in my apartment since last night."

Yayoi breathed a sigh of relief. "Thank God, I've been looking everywhere. She ran off with nothing and left only a note." Yayoi pulled Nami's note from her pocket and handed it to him. Atsuki opened it, and as he read it, his expression darkened.

"She never mentioned wanting to join the Fort," he handed it back.

"So it's called the Fort?" Yayoi asked.

Atsuki nodded. "It's been working to destroy Silent for a long, long time."

"Silent?" Yayoi was confused.

"A disease," he explained. "A worm born through strong emotions, mostly hate, rage, and sadness. Remember when you tried to commit suicide? You were infected with Silent. I am able to erase the Silent from the minds of the infectees, but my partner, Liu Yee, prefers to let them die. I had to find you before he did, or you wouldn't be here right now."

"So, Nami wants to join the Fort," Yayoi stated. "because she has special powers and she wants to help people and cure people of a suicide-inducing disease called Silent?"

Atsuki laughed. Immediately, it seemed as though the sun was shining brighter than ever. "That's one way to put it."

A sleek black car drove by the school, and Atsuki sobered. "We shouldn't be talking here. Let's head back to my place."

He led her away from the school and through the thickest part of Y City. They could barely make their way through the crosswalk, there were so many people.

As they finally approached an apartment building, they ran again into Tomoyo Hirooka.

"Atsuki, darling!" she squealed, barreling people to the ground in her hurry to get over to him.

"Damn!" Atsuki muttered. "Kamishiro, hurry, hold my hand."

Yayoi blushed furiously. "Wh-what?"

"She'll never leave me alone!" Atsuki hissed as Hirooka came closer. "Hold my hand!"

Yayoi summoned all her courage and took Atsuki's hand. It was rough and callused, but in a way, warm and comforting. She liked holding his hand.

"How does she remember you?" Yayoi whispered.

"Don't as me," Atsuki replied.

"Atsuki, I haven't seen you in a _long _time! How-" Hirooka stopped speaking. Apparently, she'd noticed Atsuki and Yayoi holding hands.

"Tomoyo!" Atsuki pasted a fake smile on his face. "This is my girlfriend, Asako. Asako, Tomoyo Hirooka."

Yayoi bowed her head in respect.

"I just remembered," Hirooka said suddenly. "I have a lunch date with a man I met yesterday. See you around."

She left swiftly.

Yayoi let go of his hand, (somewhat reluctantly) and laughed.

"What's so funny, Kamishiro?" Atsuki inquired.

"You called me Asako, which means "born in the morning", but I was born during the night. It's just funny." Yayoi explained, trying to choke up her giggles.

Atsuki smiled, not a fake smile, but a real, nice, beautiful smile, his black eyes sparkling.

Yayoi was immediately reminded of the drawing she'd made, and how much like Atsuki's real eyes they were.

"C'mon," he said. "It's right over there."

Using his key, Atsuki unlocked the door and pushed inside. A number of machines, charts, notes, and graphs littered the floor, bed, and nearby desk. Nami was fast asleep in an easy chair, curled up like a cat.

"Nami, wake up," Yayoi nudged her sister gently, and the girl woke slowly.

"Sis? What're you doing here?" Upon seeing Yayoi's face, Nami had jumped up. "I said that I didn't want you to follow me."

"You should know better." Yayoi crossed her arms. "And the birds miss you."

Nami smiled and embraced her sister. "Even though I left, I missed you."

"I see you found what you came here for," Yayoi looked up towards Atsuki, who was looking very awkward, hands in his pockets.

"Sis, I'm not going back." Nami wriggled away from her sister. "I can't."

"Why not?" Yayoi put her hands on her hips.

"I... I just can't,"

"Well, you are. C'mon, right now." Yayoi took Nami's wrist and dragged her from the apartment. "Sorry for everything, Atsuki," Yayoi apologized. "Maybe we'll see you again someday."

"Yeah," he shrugged halfheartedly. "See you."

It was afternoon by the time they were halfway through Y City. "We're getting a hotel for the night," Yayoi said to Nami. "If I wake up and you aren't there, I am so telling mom and dad."

Nami bowed her head in defeat.

They got a different, slightly more expensive hotel, and settled down for the night.

It was the last night of Yayoi's normal life.

* * *

ooooh, a cliffie! Sorry folks, you'll see how it turns out!


	5. Chapter Four: Screaming in the Dark

CHAPTER FOUR

Yayoi woke suddenly to the sound of screams. She pushed back the blankets and jumped to the window, pulling open the curtains.

Lights were on in the house across the street from the hotel room. Yayoi glanced at Nami's bed, and the girl, thank God, was still asleep.

Yayoi pulled on her jacket and shoes, and took pepper spray from her bag; just in case. She wouldn't usually do anything this rash, but something in the back of her mind was telling her she must.

She hurriedly crossed the street, damp with a light drizzle, but froze by the door.

Past the curtained window flashed a shadow. The shape was grotesque and inhuman, and for a moment Yayoi hesitated. But a little girl's screams cut off suddenly, and Yayoi swallowed and tried the doorknob.

Open.

She pushed inside and the door slammed behind her. Whirling around and brandishing her bottle of pepper spray, she faced nothing but shadows.

A small whimper turned her around. On the floor in front of her, lying in a pool of blood, was a little girl.

Yayoi rushed to the child and dropped to her knees beside her, but the girl pointed wordlessly to something behind Yayoi.

Yayoi turned slowly. The shadow wriggled and shifted, and a creature inched its way towards them.

Yayoi stood and placed herself protectively in front of the girl, whose head dropped to the floor in defeat. Yayoi sprayed her pepper spray bottle at the thing, but it was totally unaffected. It shook its head and came closer. Tendrils snapped from its body, and it resembled a grotesque monster with a wide, alligator-like mouth.

Yayoi felt behind her for the wall, searching for something, anything, to fight it off, and her fingers touched cold brick. The family had a fireplace.

She reached lower and picked up a poker, sharp and soot-streaked.

The creature hissed, as if sensing danger. But it began to speed up in its approach. Yayoi thanked God for the large room.

She gripped the poker in both hands and jabbed at it, but the shadow being's body shifted and bended to get out of the way, like she'd struck at water, then at air.

The thing lashed out at her, and Yayoi was too slow to move fast enough to get out of the way. She landed hard next to the little girl, and felt the slow, hot wetness of blood creeping over her flesh on her forehead and left side. The poker flew from her grasp.

Yayoi struggled for breath, and the shadow creature slowly leaned over her, mouth open, teeth bared.

_Oh, my God, _Yayoi thought frantically. _It's going to rip my throat out._

Instead, the shadow whacked at her hard, hitting her in the stomach and sending her crashing terrifically into the wall.

Her head hit the brick fireplace, and fire ripped through her skull. Sparks popped behind her eyelids, and blood trickled from the corner of her mouth, as well as over the side of her face.

Yayoi lay completely still. Her breath was short and ragged, and unconsciousness was threatening to overtake her, lingering at the corners of her eyes.

A sudden, overpowering urge to kill swam through her veins, and she struggled up. Blood dripped off her left cheek to the floor, but she ignored it. She dove across the floor and snatched up the poker.

The shadow had lunged for her, and she turned around and stabbed it through the center of its body. A shrill shriek shattered Yayoi's eardrums, and she heard herself screaming with it, just barely.

It leaned over and bit hard into her shoulder. Yayoi screamed even louder, with intense, burning agony.

Suddenly, the door flew open. Someone was standing there, but Yayoi was slipping away and her sight was blurry. Bloodlust was still strong in her body, and she tried to stand, to hurt whoever was there, but as soon as she got to her feet, her clothes soaked with her own blood, a sickening nausea wormed its way up through her stomach and she fell over.

The last thing she saw before closing her eyes was a flash of silver-blond hair and beautiful, sparkling dark eyes.

Atsuki.


	6. Chapter Five: Her Savior

CHAPTER FIVE

*Randomly from Atsuki's POV, just to see what it's like*

When I burst into the room, with Liu at my heels and Natsuki in my ears, I saw the Silent creature bent over a squirming young woman. A little girl was lying near the center of the room, but I think we were too late to help her.

I used my Sigma power to delve into the Silent and cleave it away, but it seemed like the person it was trying to devour was doing a pretty good job of holding it off.

Then, when the creature was gone, I saw who it had been attacking.

"Y-Yayoi!" I choked, running to her. She tried to stand, but then fell. She was covered in blood, from her forehead, to her shoulder, then to her side.

I felt a strong evil emanating from her prone form as she lay there, and knew she was probably infected with Silent. But when I tried to erase it from her mind, I was thrown back by a strong protectiveness for the girl near us and an overwhelming urge to kill everything.

I couldn't let Liu Sweep her. He'd kill her. But I needed help, so I slipped one arm under her head, feeling her blood hot on my skin.

"Liu!" I called. "Help me pick her up."

He crossed his arms. "Why? She's infected. We should just let her bleed to death."

"Shut up and help me!" I snapped. "Or I'll personally get Ray Platiere to fire you!" Something in my voice made him falter. Then he stepped forward and knelt by me.

I hefted Yayoi's dead weight in my arms, and her bloody head rolled onto my shoulder. I could already hear Natsuki's exclamation: _"OH MY GOD, ATSUKI!! IS THAT _YOUR_ BLOOD?!"_

Liu Yee was still reluctant, but he checked the little girl's pulse anyway. Looking up at me, he shook his head.

"She's gone,"

I adjusted Yayoi in my arms and we left the building in a brisk walk. Maybe Natsuki could save Yayoi if I couldn't. If the Silent was too powerful, then she'd need a Sigma transplant, and that might kill her. Liu Yee, Natsuki, and I were three out of every million people able to survive the transplant.

Liu took out his phone and dialed the Fort. "We have a slight problem..." he glanced at Yayoi, unconscious in my arms. I could hear Natsuki yelling at him from the other end from where I was standing. "No, no, Atsuki's just swell." Liu rolled his eyes. "But remember the suicidal girl from the Kisaragi case? She was in the house. And she's also the only survivor. She's infected, but Atsuki won't leave her." More angry squeaking. "Look, just put Nola on the line, okay?" The squeaking stopped. Another, calmer voice piped up, and Liu Yee sighed. "Nola, the girl's dying. She needs help. We'll have to take her in." A pause. "No, I'm not going to listen to you. I don't care what Ray says right now. Good-bye."

He snapped his phone shut and I noticed, even in the streetlights, that his cheeks were blushed with anger.

"Thanks, Liu," I said.

"It's nothing. You saved me once, remember? When Steiner tried to break me. I went to you first and you got the Fort. I owed you, even if I didn't like it." He shrugged me off and we continued walking.

Nola, in her white jacket, met us on the outskirts of the city, by an abandoned warehouse. "This will serve as a hospital for our needs." she explained. Natsuki was beside her, fidgeting with the hem of her lacy black-and-white dress. Two nurses and a tall man I recognized from somewhere (wasn't he the one who accidentally called Aya Nagashima "miss"?) stood behind them.

I noticed Chief Ray step out from the shadows, the moon shining off his silvery hair. He didn't look too happy to see Yayoi, but hey. It's not like I was just gonna _leave_ her there to die. I'm no monster.

Oops. I'd forgotten about Nami. Dammit! I couldn't send Liu to get her, he'd just ignore me. But I had to stay with Yayoi while Natsuki patched her up.

The tall man eased Yayoi out of my arms, and Ray took me aside.

"We're taking a huge risk coming out here, you realize that? Even though we were coming anyway, we weren't coming this close to the city."

"I'm sorry, Chief," I apologized.

"Sorry isn't going to save our asses when the time comes." Ray shifted his weight from foot to foot. "Sigma implants don't grow on trees. If she needs it, you do realize we might have to let her die."

"But you can't!" I burst. "She's one of my friends from Kisaragi!"

"Atsuki," Ray's voice softened. He put a hand on my shoulder, the one that didn't have Yayoi's blood on it. "she doesn't remember you."

I shook him off. "Yes she does! I met her yesterday around lunchtime, and she remembered me! She called me by name, Ray!"

He faltered. "But that's not possible..." he whispered.

"Remember the girl, Nami Kamishiro, and she had powers? Yayoi is her older sister. Nami can talk to animals. The animals haven't forgotten me." I was breathing heavily now; I could feel my face grow hot with anger.

Ray swallowed. "C'mon, we should go in."

The lights were dim and some flickered. Yayoi was lying on a stained wooden table under the brightest light, and the nurses were leaning over her. I saw the flash of needles and twine, and the white handkerchiefs spotted with blood dabbing at the stitches.

She was as pale as snow, which only made her hair look even more like fire. Kenzo (so _that's_ his name...) approached Ray and me.

"I'm afraid this looks bad," he wrung his hands. "She lost a lot of blood and she has a bad concussion. Her left side is shredded and she needed over two hundred stitches. Her skull is cracked and her ankle is broken. It seems she's infected with Silent very severely. Natsuki wasn't able to help. Sigma is all that can save her now."

"She's dying?" I heard my voice squeak, and tried to clear my throat.

"I'm sorry," Kenzo lowered his gaze.

Silence, all except for the snipping of the scissors. Then, Ray sighed heavily.

"Prepare to implant Sigma. Galahad is one of the last ones we have, but it can't be helped. Implant it on her shoulder; that's where she's shredded the most."

Kenzo nodded. "Yes, sir."

My heart caught in my throat. What? What was happening?

Ray placed a hand on my shoulder again, but I was so shocked I barely noticed.

"You're right, Atsuki. We can't let her die. Come and sit with her. You yelled when we operated on you, and we need to keep her quiet."

I sat in a chair by the table and took Yayoi's hand. It was cold and clammy. My heart was pounding in my ears, and my throat felt tight.

Here we go.

* * *

Oh noes!!!!! they're implanting Sigma becuz yayoi will die if they dont!!!!! but even if they do, she still might die..... DUN DUN DUNNNNNN.

mia: OMG Niry! WRITE THE NEXT CHAPTER ALREADY!!!

Niry: mia, ur my crazy side, so ur also me. u know what's gonna happen!

Aiai: Just write it.

Niry: FYI peeps: Me, Niry, is the half-normal part. mia is the crazy insane part, and Aiai is the strange, evil part of me. Yeahhh.

mia: Don't worry! We won't come back for a while!

Aiai: Maybe not at all. Mwa ha ha. Btw Niry, if u don't write chap 6, I'll KILL u.

Niry: but I'm u....

mia: see ya later, folks!!!


	7. Chapter Six: An Unfamiliar Visitor

CHAPTER SIX

Yayoi's dreams were full of agony; the burn of alcohol on her wounds and the prick of needles stabbed at the corners of her mind. She couldn't help screaming as she felt a scalpel cutting through the flesh on her shoulder, but someone gently shushed her, and Yayoi felt inclined to obey.

Her eyes finally opened, and were welcomed by pitch darkness. Yayoi blinked slowly, one, two, three times, and opened her mouth to speak. But her throat was dry, and it ended up making her cough.

Yayoi noticed a calloused, rough, but warm hand gripping her own. She moved her head to the left, and saw Atsuki Saijo, his beautiful silver-blond head lying on the table by hers, asleep with exhaustion. She smiled weakly at him, then focused on her wounds.

She could feel the dull sting of drying alcohol and throb of stitches all over her body, particularly on her shoulder, but at least the bloodlust was gone. As she reached up a hand to feel the wound, a voice came to her from the shadows.

"I wouldn't do that," it was male, young, but full of knowledge. A man stepped out of the shadows, light filtering across his face. It was angled and handsome, with black hair that hung in bangs cut just over his eyes. He was tall, with a black T-shirt and long dark jeans; his hands were in his pockets. His eyes were a deep brown, but they sparkled in the filtered light from the street outside.

"Why?" she asked suspiciously, prying her hand from Atsuki's and sitting up, acutely aware that her clothes were still splashed with blood.

The young man took a single step forward. "Because they operated on you, and implanted Lux-Pain on your shoulder to save your life. You should be thanking _him._" he nodded to Atsuki. "He convinced them. The rest were willing to let you die."

"What do you want?" Yayoi squinted at him. "Who are you? What's Lux-Pain?"

"My name is Dai. That's all I can tell you right now. But trust me, Yayoi Kamishiro: don't believe a word of what the Fort says. I can't explain anything right now, but please, you must have faith me."

Dai was nearly standing at her bedside. Yayoi could see now that he was incredibly handsome, almost unearthly.

"How do you know my name? What do you want?" Yayoi asked suspiciously.

Dai glanced at Atsuki. "I want your trust. I want you."

On the table, Saijo groaned in his sleep, surprising Yayoi enough so that she glanced at him. When she turned back to Dai, he was gone.

"Yayoi?" Atsuki pulled his head off of the table. "How do you feel?"

"Fine," she smiled weakly at him and lay back down. "I feel good."

"That's good." he grinned back, casually flicking his silver-blond hair from his shining black eyes. "Sorry I fell asleep."

"It's okay," Yayoi looked up at him. "You were tired."

"We're sending someone over to the hotel soon, to get Nami. If you feel okay, we're going to move you to my apartment across the city. It's too dangerous to send you all the way overseas to Fort headquarters." Atsuki brushed a stray lock of hair from Yayoi's stitched face, then dropped his hand, embarrassed. "Sorry,"

Yayoi didn't really know what to say, so she ignored it. "Isn't there anyplace more comfortable for me to sleep?" she asked instead.

"Yeah," Atsuki pointed to the wall, where Dai had been standing. "There's a couch with a blanket over there."

"Great, thanks, Atsuki," she began to stand, but nausea washed over her and she struggled to keep down her dinner.

"Are you sure you're okay? You just got out of surgery four hours ago." Atsuki warned.

"I'm fine," she said again, sliding off the metal table and walking over to the wall in the direction Atsuki had indicated.

She found the couch without too much difficulty, and lay down across it. Yayoi search for the blanket, but couldn't find it.

"I can't find the blanket." she said to Atsuki, who crouched down by the concrete floor and pulled up a woolen blanket.

"I guess it fell," he draped it across her, still crouching, and then the impossible happened. Atsuki Saijo softly kissed her.

It only happened for a moment, but Yayoi was stunned all the same. He'd just _kissed_ her. On the mouth. Oh, dear God, he'd _KISSED_ her!

Atsuki turned to his right, where a fold-out leather chair was. He sat down and closed his eyes.

Just before Yayoi fell asleep, Dai's words echoed through her mind:

_"I want your trust. I want you."_

* * *

Niry: just who is this hottie, anyway?

mia: NIRY! you said we weren't coming back.

Niry: oops...


	8. Chapter Seven: Truly Forgotten

CHAPTER SEVEN

When Yayoi awoke, daylight was streaming into the building through the grimy windows, and her shoulder felt no pain whatsoever.

Automatically glancing over to where Atsuki had been the night before, in the chair, she saw he was gone.

Someone banged noisily through the door into the room, and Nami Kamishiro rushed to her sister, throwing her arms around her.

"Sis! Atsuki explained everything, why did you go? Why didn't you wake me up?"

"I don't know, really," Yayoi said, prying Nami's hands off of her. "It was mostly instinctive." Yayoi turned to Atsuki. "Did the little girl...?"

He slowly shook his head three times.

Yayoi's heart dropped into her stomach. "Oh," she said softly.

"Well? Can we stay with Atsuki?" Nami begged, unaware of Yayoi's feelings completely. "His friends said you'll be different now because of what happened last night."

"But what about my parents?" Yayoi faced Atsuki, but he kept his beautiful black eyes averted.

"Ray told me this morning," he began with difficulty. "that the Sigma we implanted inside your shoulder was too powerful to just let go. He's erasing everyone's memories as we speak."

"What?!" Yayoi's heart dropped into her stomach, making her feel suddenly nauseaus. "You can't do that!"

"I tried to stop them, Yayoi, believe me, but Ray had already sent them out." he sighed in heavy regret. "They'll forget me as well."

"I can get Rui to remember," Nami piped up. "and she can get everyone else."

"I don't believe this." Yayoi shook her head, her long, silky red hair in front of her face. She stood and began to walk away.

"Yayoi?" Atsuki began after her. "Where are you going?"

"Home."

"Sis, you're covered in blood." Nami reached her side.

"I have clothes."

"Please, Yayoi." Atsuki's soft voice stopped her. "Just wait for a day or two. Then I'll take you there, I promise."

For a long time, there was silence. Then, Yayoi, knowing tears were welling in her eyes, felt a sob beginning to shake her shoulders. Nearly inaudible cries left her throat, but in the silence of the room, they were deafening.

She turned around to find Atsuki standing just behind her. Yayoi, unthinkingly, dropped her head to his shoulder and cried into it. For a minute or two, Atsuki didn't know what to do, having never been cried on before. But then he put his arms around her waist and held her; awkwardly, but he held her all the same.

"I'm sorry," he whispered. "I didn't ask for it."

Nami watched from a distance. She had a feeling that erasing the memories of their parents and friends of Yayoi would also include deleting her from their recollections. Mika, Akira, Rui, Ryo, Shinji, Hibiki, Aoi, Honoka, their parents, everyone.

It was just staggering.

Yayoi found her voice and choked into Atsuki's chest, "I just want to go home."

"You can't," he said, his voice suddenly, unusually austere. "You don't have a home to go to."

"I have an idea," Nami piped up timidly. "Yayoi, do you have anything with you that you showed to your friends before you left?"

Yayoi pulled away from Atsuki, slightly taken aback by his chilly reply. "My bag is still at the hotel."

Atsuki flicked a jangling bunch of keys from one black leather pocket of his jacket and said quietly, "I can pick them up."

He left the room without another word.

Yayoi watched him leave, sniffling back her tears and turned to Nami.

"I wish he had let me die." she said weakly. "I'd rather have died than let myself be forgotten entirely."

Nami kept her eyes on her shoes. She had no reply.

* * *

sososososososososososo sorry i havent updated in a month, but i've been really busy and i let this chapter half finished for a bit. PLZPLZPLZ forgive me!

i had jazz band, after and before school, and the 25th of Feb was my b-day. i just couldnt find time. FORGIVE ME I BEG OF U!!!!


	9. Chapter Eight: Galahad

_This chapter is dedicated to Dragunity Gemini, who kept on my ass about this even when I was about to give up. Thanks. Without you, this would probably have died. ^.~ _

* * *

CHAPTER EIGHT: GALAHAD

"I hate you," Yayoi wanted to take back the words as soon as they flew from her lips, directed at the silvery-blonde young man who had been her first kiss, but she dared not look at him to show her hesitation. Her eyes stayed on her feet.

It had not taken Atsuki long to retrieve Yayoi's things from her motel room, or wipe the mind of everyone he knew had seen her. He had returned in less than two hours to find Yayoi sitting alone on the couch; Nami had gone to find food. Yayoi's usually bright eyes were half-closed and dull, as if she was deep in thought. One hand rested in her lap, while the other gently rubbed where the Sigma Galahad had been implanted into her bones.

He flinched away from her, the words striking him like a slap. "I didn't want them to do this-" he attempted to apologize once again, but Yayoi stood.

"Then why didn't you stop them? I didn't want this, I didn't ask for you to save me!" tears began to well in her eyes, blurring her view of him. "Being dead would be better than being forgotten!" Atsuki's lovely eyes went wide, and Yayoi immediately felt the punch of guilt. "I... I'm sorry, I didn't-" she tried to reach for him, but he slapped her hand away. She fell silent.

"You don't think I feel like that... after every case I work on? Ever since my sister was murdered..." he swallowed. "when she died, I thought I would never care for anyone, ever again. But then, the first case I joined, partnered with Liu Yee and Yuki in America, I met this little girl. We were both thirteen. She..." Atsuki sighed. "She was so incredible. Her situation was like mine; her parents were dead, her siblings gone, and living with friends. But she was so positive, so cheerful; she had this crazy idea that everything was going to be alright in the end." Atsuki turned away from Yayoi. His voice was quieter when he continued. "Amelia found out about my past. She knew what happened to my family. I told her that once I left, she would forget about me. Amelia said that she couldn't ever forget me. And I found out that I... I didn't want to leave her, ever. I didn't want to lose her positivity, her smile, her laugh. It was like my sister had come back to me." He laughed harshly. "I got too close to Amelia, and that's why she died. Yuki died that night, too. Two people were killed because of me. And because you've been forgotten by your family and friends, you think you drew the short straw? I have no friends, my family has been dead for years. At least you had both."

"Atsuki," Yayoi stepped toward him. "I-" He didn't wait for her to finish. He exited the shabby room without another word. Yayoi sat back down on the couch and cried silently into her hands.

"Angsty, that one." a familiar voice made her snap her head up. Dai stood by the boarded window on the other side of the table, his dark jeans and black t-shirt the same as they were the night before. "A real downer."

"What do you want?"

"Yayoi, you and me both know what I want." Dai laughed softly as he crossed the room, hands in his pockets. "I want you to help me out."

"With what, exactly?" Yayoi stood up.

"There is a certain individual I would very much like to meet, and you are the only one who can help me get to her." Dai walked right up to her and looked down on her, his dark brown eyes piercing her own. His close proximity nearly made her lose her breath. He smelled as good as he looked. "But that isn't important right now. I'm here to tell you that someone you know is going to die in two days."

"What? How can you know?" Yayoi's stomach clenched.

"Because in the short while your friend Saijo has been gone from your town, something's happened." Dai's eyes flashed. "Someone infected with a powerful Silent, one that originated from the thing that attacked you, actually, has crept into Kisaragi. It killed someone named... Sakai last night. The woman who owned the theater?"

"Oh, my God." Yayoi knew Ms. Sakai. Sakai had always shown movies at her theater that people wanted to see, or that she knew people would appreciate. Ms. Sakai was well-liked in Kisaragi.

"I want you to come with me, so we can prevent it from killing your friend or anyone else." Dai gripped her good arm, just below the shoulder. His hand was cold but firm.

"Even if I do, how would we stop it?" Yayoi was intoxicated by him; his very presence made her stutter.

"Your Lux-Pain, your Sigma, is one of the most powerful I've ever felt, Kamishiro." Dai took a deep breath. "Galahad, I think. It's definitely a wonder your body can handle the strain of it. Galahad has the ability to mentally allow you to cleave the Silent, similarly to Saijo, who turns it into nothing, but you send the entire Silent itself into oblivion. Even if it isn't the source, you will weaken the original simply by destroying its seeds. If I'm not mistaken, with Galahad you can also erase memories. And every Sigma allows for mind reading."

"I don't know how..." Yayoi shook her head.

"I can teach you. But we need to hurry, because the more we talk, the more danger your friend falls into." Dai's hand squeezed her shoulder. Yayoi suddenly realized that her arm, the one Sigma was implanted in, was cold. Looking down at it, she noticed a silver chain link bracelet embedded every four links with a green gem around her wrist that she had never seen before. Up her arm from her fingers to her shoulder was a thick black tattoo that she was sure only she could see. Wouldn't Nami have said something?

"Why is my arm so cold?" she asked quietly, unable to take her eyes from the tattoo.

"Because you lost the use of it when you were attacked last night," Dai said softly. "Your shoulder was nearly broken off. If it was a normal circumstance, you would have lost your entire arm. With Sigma, you can use it again."

"I hate it." she whispered.

"I have it too, you know." Dai turned his head so she could see the single thin gold hoop earring in his right ear. "Sigma."

"So you're deaf in one ear?" Yayoi connected the dots.

"I was, when I was attacked. But Sigma allows me to hear." He was silent for a while. "Kamishiro, I need to know now if you'll come back to Kisaragi with me. We can save your friend." His hand fell away from her arm.

Yayoi thought hard for a minute that felt like an eternity. "I... Come back tonight, when everyone's asleep. I'll go with you then."

Dai's handsome face split into a grin and he embraced her, enveloping Yayoi with his arms. "Thank you, Kamishiro! I promise, I'll help you save your friend." Dai said happily, and Yayoi felt warmth spread over her. She was glad she made him happy. His smile brought her own. "I'll see you tonight, okay?" Dai let go of her and walked over to the door where he had supposedly entered. He faced her again, smiling softly. "Goodbye,"

"Goodbye," Yayoi nodded. She glanced down at her feet, suddenly absorbed with how she looked in front of him. When she looked up, Dai was gone.

* * *

mia: Here it is; my first update in nearly two years. Thanks for not giving up on me, you guys. I'll update as frequently as I can from now on.

Niry: missed you all!

Aiai: Yeah, mia's real stupid, huh?

mia: i'm you, remember?


	10. Chapter Nine: Bleeding

CHAPTER NINE: BLEEDING

Yayoi packed as quietly as she could without waking Nami, who had passed out at half-past eight that night. The older girl hadn't brought much to Y City to begin with, so it didn't take long for her to prepare.

She sat, waiting in the dark, for Dai to appear. Yayoi struggled to keep her eyes open, but eventually they fluttered closed.

"Yayoi, wake up." a hand lightly touched her hand, and Yayoi jumped awake.

"D-" she stuttered, nearly speaking out Dai's name, but stopped when she saw the ash-blond flash of hair that signified it was Atsuki instead of whom she had been expecting. "Oh, Atsuki." she recovered quickly and stood, rubbing her cold arm and looking anywhere but into his abysmal eyes.

"I just-" he swallowed stiffly. "I just wanted to... apologize for what I said today. What happened to Amelia... was a long time ago and you had nothing to do with it. I shouldn't have lashed at you."

"No, Atsuki-" Yayoi's heart ached for him.

"Please, let me finish." he cut her off. "I understand that while I had years to cope with the loss of my family and the fact that anyone I ever became close to would forget my existence, you've only had hours and it was insensitive of me to dump all of my issues on top of yours. I'm sorry, Kamishiro."

His formal use of her last name made her wince, and as he turned away Yayoi caught his arm and made him stay.

"I should be apologizing, Atsuki." the last thing she wanted was to distance herself from him, so Yayoi used his first name instead of his last. "I was the one being insensitive and childish. I should have thought before I spoke, and I'm sorry for that."

She let go of him, but Atsuki didn't leave right away. He didn't look at her; they stood in darkness and silence for the longest seconds of her life before Atsuki finally left the room. Yayoi remained standing, staring at the door.

"Good evening," Dai's voice came from the shadows behind her, and Yayoi whirled around, her mind suddenly overcome with images, but the one that stood out the most was an image of bugs crawling over a white piece of paper.

She flinched, squeezing her eyes shut as the bugs and the paper became all she could see. "What is happening to me?!" She whispered hoarsely, and felt a hand on her back as the image faded into nothing.

"I was trying to read your mind, Kamishiro. You saw a bugs and paper, didn't you?"

She nodded.

"Well," Dai helped her to stand, grinning. "that's usually what a telepath sees when someone attempts to read his or her mind. You've had no training, but you still managed to keep me from seeing much. Impressive."

"I don't want you in my head, Dai." Yayoi pushed him away, still shaking at her thoughts being invaded. "Don't you ever do that to me again."

His smile faded. "I'm sorry, Yayoi. I'll never do it again."

"Can we leave now, please?" Yayoi picked up her bag and brushed Nami's hair from her face with one hand as she asked Dai.

"The sooner, the better. Let's be on our way, then."

Dai held open a door opposite the one Atsuki exited, and they departed the warehouse without a sound.

"Won't someone see us?" Yayoi walked at Dai's left hand as they hurriedly put the warehouse behind them. "Won't they come after me?"

"Don't worry, I took care of it." he assured her, flashing her a white smile that shone in the moonlight. "No one will even know you left until the morning."

As they made their way slowly back to Kisaragi, Yayoi sought a way to break the silence that continuously stretched its way between them.

"Which of my friends is the one in danger?" she asked quietly, and Dai's eyes flashed so quickly, Yayoi came to think she had imagined it.

"Her name is Rui Yamase. She was born with psychic powers and can read minds, and it's nearly gotten her killed many times in the past. This is no different." Dai breathed out and looked at Yayoi. "But since we're moving quickly, I expect we should be able to protect her from the Silent."

"Do you know who the... the Silent has infected, or is it just a manifestation like the one that nearly killed me?" Yayoi bit her lip, remembering the girl she was unable to save that night.

"I have no idea whom it's infected, but I know for sure it isn't a manifestation." Dai's tone was reassuring, and Yayoi relaxed. She could face a person, but a monster...

Never again.

They made good time, and were able to enter Kisaragi station as the sun was rising. Yayoi yawned impressively, and Dai laughed at her.

"You look exhausted. Don't worry, I've got a place for us to stay nearby while we work this out."

"I can just-" Yayoi stopped herself, the pain returning. "Oh, that's right. They don't remember me anymore."

"Your parents?" Dai asked softly and stopped walking; they were next to Yuzi's net cafe.

"Yes." she cleared her throat. "They aren't my biological parents, Nami and I are- _were_ adopted, but they raised us."

"It's alright, Yayoi." he soothed her, his voice comforting Yayoi in a way only Atsuki's had before. "We'll be in an apartment near Tohodo, a few doors down from where Atsuki Saijo lived while he was here."

They walked again in silence until they reached Tohodo. It was just before six in the morning when Dai turned the key in apartment number fifteen and entered the small living space behind Yayoi.

"Welcome to our humble abode." Dai did a spin as he presented the apartment to her, and Yayoi started, realizing something.

"_Our_?" Yayoi asked, looking to see if she'd heard him correctly.

"Yes, _our._" Dai rolled his eyes, looking at her like she was crazy. "I couldn't afford two apartments, and this one has two rooms, so we'll never be sleeping close together."

"It's still strange..." Yayoi swallowed and turned red. She didn't mind sleepovers, and had had sleepovers with Rui and Mika while Shinji, Ryo, and Akira were there, but that was different. This was just the two of them.

"Don't worry. We're like roommates, and it's only for a week or so." Dai waved a hand at her and turned into a separate room.

Yayoi sighed heavily and set her things down on a nearby bed, not doubting for a second she had made the right decision, but feeling guilty about saying nothing to her sister


	11. Chapter Ten: Friends

CHAPTER TEN: FRIENDS

Yayoi slept dreamlessly on the futon in a side room for most of the day. When she awoke, Dai was cooking dinner in the main room, his futon folded up and his bags neatly placed underneath it. He was making what smelled like chicken in the oven of the small kitchen off in a separate part of the main room, where it was tiled instead of carpeted.

"Good morning!" he called without looking in at her. Yayoi realized she'd slept in and rumpled her clothes, not to mention her hair was a mess, and the remains of sleep were all over her face. Self-consciously, she found herself hoping Dai didn't turn around to look at her.

"What time is it?" she yawned a little, feeling very refreshed.

"Just after five in the afternoon. You've been asleep for nearly twelve hours, Kamishiro." he stirred up what looked like a marinade in a pan on the counter, chuckling. "You must be well-rested now!"

"Did you sleep at all, Dai?" Yayoi felt it was only polite to ask.

"A bit. Four or five hours, really. I'm not much of a sleeper." he shrugged; she noticed the slight rise and fall of his shoulders, the tilt of his raven-haired head to one side as they moved. "I hope you're hungry, because I made a lot for us!" he cheerfully stooped to open the oven and remove the chicken when it beeped to signify its completion. Setting it quickly down on the stovetop and shaking his slightly burned fingers, he began to turn around and Yayoi realized how much of a mess she was.

Before Dai saw her, she turned and hurriedly went back into the adjoining room to where her bag was, closing the door behind her.

"Aren't you hungry?" he called after her.

"I'll be out in a minute!" she changed quickly into something that made her look less like a homeless wanderer and more like a civilized high school girl, brushing her hair to make it sleek again.

When she walked back out, Dai had set the table and was getting them silverware.

"Oh," he saw her walk in and mild surprise settled on his face. "I was expecting you to look more... like you just woke up."

Yayoi quickly thought up an excuse. "Well, I was hoping we could go out tonight to look for some clues as to who is infected with the original."

He nodded approvingly, motioning for her to sit. "Good idea, Kamishiro."

They ate mostly in silence; the meal consisted of the chicken and a salad of greens and vegetables.

It was about six twenty when they had finished and washed all the dishes; they put the leftovers in the refrigerator to save.

"Why don't you look through Areas 5 through 7, and I take the other four?" Dai said as they left the apartment. Twilight was settling into dusk as they closed the door and made sure they both had their respective keys.

"Okay." Yayoi didn't really have a preference, so she waved at Dai and walked through Area 7, past Meiko Elementary and the church, to Soejima Mansion. As she passed by the stone statue in the courtyard, Yayoi shivered involuntarily, remembering all the terrible things that had happened at the mansion.

She stopped for a moment, admiring the lovely architecture of the mansion in the dying sunlight. It really was a beautiful place, but the beauty masked terrible pain and suffering, blood and bone.

" 'Scuse me!" a boy with purple hair rushed by her as nearly a blur. "Sorry!" he called over one shoulder as she stared, astonished, after him. After a moment, he faltered and stopped, turning to look at her. He opened his mouth, his eyes searching, but then closed it, smiled awkwardly, and dashed away.

Yayoi nearly called Shinji's name before realizing he wouldn't know her anyway. Her eyes burned with unshed tears as she looked after him, watching him disappear into the distance and hoping against hope he would at least turn around to meet her eyes again. He didn't.

"We were friends, once."she whispered quietly.

Yayoi left Soejima Mansion feeling like she'd been punched in the stomach. Shinji hadn't even glanced her way. She'd known somewhere inside that he no longer knew her, but even still, she'd dared to hope.

Yayoi walked through the remainder of her Areas in a kind of daze. She was looking, but she didn't see.

She didn't run into anyone else she knew, or had known before.

"Welcome back!" Dai had returned to their apartment early, having breezed through his Areas, apparently. "How was the search? Did you find anything?"

"Nothing," Yayoi didn't look at him. She walked briskly to her room in the apartment, shutting the door behind her and throwing herself on the futon.

Silently, she cried herself into a fitful sleep.

* * *

I know, it's overdue. Way overdue. And it's short, but forgive me? I'm building up to something good, I promise. :)


	12. Chapter Eleven: Silent

CHAPTER ELEVEN: SILENT

The creature in the girl's body smelled them before it heard them; sacks of blood and bone it _needed_ to infect with its all-engulfing hatred and rage. The humans all smelled differently, but underneath their varying perfumes and the scents of their dwellings and families, they all stank of purity, of those not infected by the creature's purpose. They all reeked of untainted blood.

Their voices, simple tunes in the air, grated on the creature's ears but were familiar and comforting to the girl it possessed. She stirred within herself as the voices reached her, her mind half-conscious, but faded out again as the creature within her forced her down. She subsided, her mind a barely noticeable buzz the creature found it simple enough to ignore.

No, no, there were too many of them for the creature to pursue now. They had their advantage in numbers, and this girl's body would not likely take down any one of them without the element of surprise.

It moved on, the girl's nimble feet taking light steps in the darkness, searching desperately, hungrily, for a victim.

Soon enough, it found one.

A man in his early fifties, walking towards an apartment next to Yuhigaoka Park. He fumbled with his keys, hands shaking from some kind of palsy, or maybe just nervousness.

As the creature approached him, he turned, eyes on the girl's face.

"C-can I help you, miss?" he coughed, then cleared his throat. "Are you lost?"

His scream was cut off in the heavy air of the night, and the creature's meal through the girl was not disturbed.

Leaving the mangled corpse behind, the girl's body began to get weary of being worn and she fought hard against the monster in her mind, but in futility. Forcing her consciousness away again, the creature departed.

The blackness of the night faded softly into morning, and the creature and its vessel were gone once again.

* * *

Forgive me for making this one so short, I've been busy with final exams and new classes this semester. Expect updates over February break and beyond.

I hope you're still guessing!


	13. Chapter Twelve: Brown and Green

CHAPTER TWELVE: BROWN AND GREEN

Yayoi used her tiptoes to try and look through the necks and heads of the people in front of her, all of whom were inspecting the body. Although she couldn't see the victim himself, Yayoi from her heightened stature could now see the blood spattered on his front door.

She swallowed hard and turned away, feeling sick.

A hand on her shoulder made her look up into Dai's angled face.

"I just noticed you were out. I should have warned you how disturbing the scene was." he murmured to her apologetically, leading her away from the scene. "I was out earlier this morning when people had just found the unlucky Mr Sakamoto."

"Sakamoto?" Yayoi looked back suddenly. "He was my neighbor. He lived in the building next to mine."

"I'm so sorry." Dai squeezed her shoulder comfortingly, and Yayoi felt a little bit better.

They walked down to Sweet Ring, the cake shop, and past towards the path along the water that Aoi had memorably run in record time.

"I feel like this would be so much easier if my friends could remember me." Yayoi said after they had been walking for a while.

"The FORT doesn't take into account the feelings of their operatives." Dai shrugged. "Your friend Atsuki has been to hundreds of cities and towns, made many friends, and none of them could recall his face even if they tried. Your friends are the same."

"But I could talk to them! They could understand!" Yayoi stopped for a minute to lean on the railing and look out at the morning sun over the ocean.

"You can still talk to them," Dai looked out with her. "but they won't understand, or recognize you, or be much help."

"Then I should stay away?"

"It would be wise to do so."

They continued on in silence, but Yayoi's mind was full of the faces of the people who used to be her greatest friends.

As they reached Rainbow Hill, quite suddenly, a girl with a shock of blue hair ran at them. Mika Nozaki had the familiar excited glint in her eye that alerted people around her that she was going after a story.

"Excuse me, sir!" she pushed a pocket recorder at Dai, who looked alarmed. "Did you hear about the animal attack that left Mr. Tomoya Sakamoto dead?"

"I'd rather not talk about it, please." Dai took Yayoi by the arm and steered her away from the girl, and while Mika did not follow she called out:

"Miss, would you care to comment on the death?"

"Um, no thank you, Mika." she didn't look back as they hurried away.

Mika Nozaki was left wondering how this oddly familiar girl had known her name at all. She'd never introduced herself to the stranger with red hair, had she...?

Yayoi pulled away from Dai and walked in front of him back to the apartment they were sharing during their mission.

Shutting herself into her room, Yayoi fought back tears.

_No,_ she thought fiercely. _Stop crying. Be stronger about this. Atsuki didn't cry when he left us, I don't think he's ever cried to leave his friends._

"But Atsuki never had to see those friends again." she whispered out loud, wishing it would make her feel better. It only made her feel worse.

There was a knock at her door, and Yayoi wiped her eyes quickly, hoping they weren't too red.

"Yes?"

"Are you alright, Yayoi? Can I come in?" Dai's voice reached her and she took a deep breath before sitting on her bed.

"Sure, it's fine."

Dai entered the room with the grace and elegance she had often associated with the floating easiness of dandelion seeds on the air.

"I'm so sorry you had to see your friend like that. I should have been able to protect you from this pain." Dai sat down on the bed beside her and took her hand gently, his own hand soft and unmarked, quite unlike Atsuki's in a way she wasn't sure she liked.

"It's fine, I was bound to run into at least a friend or two in a small place like Kisaragi. You couldn't have completely prevented me from seeing them."

"I just don't like to see you hurting." he increased his grip on her hand, causing Yayoi to turn to him and look into his dark eyes. Atsuki's were black but Dai's were, she saw now, an intense, rich brown ringed with what looked like the deepest green. They were really incredibly beautiful, but they lacked the mystery and wisdom possessed by Atsuki's.

"I can handle seeing these people, I promise. It's just difficult talking to them." Yayoi couldn't break his stare; she was sucked in.

"You want to know a secret about me, Yayoi?" Dai lowered his voice and leaned in close to her. Yayoi felt her cheeks grow dangerously red.

Dai whispered softly into her ear, making her shiver: "You're my first friend."

With a gentleness that disguised great power and strength, Dai kissed her. Yayoi felt her stomach flip at the contact and her eyes slowly closed. His hand found it's way to her back and hers found his face, feeling the stubble where he hadn't shaved. His face wasn't as smooth as Atsuki's, and Dai's mouth was cold in a way that made her wish it was Atsuki and not this man she barely knew that was kissing her. Her heart sped up at the thought of the ash-haired boy. Suddenly, she couldn't handle how much she was aflutter and pushed him away, although she immediately regretted it. Dai had only been good to her and she did feel different around him; she felt almost as she did with Atsuki.

"I- I'm sorry, Dai." she swallowed, her hands falling to her knees.

"No, I'm sorry I forced myself on you like I did. It was irrational and I wasn't thinking." Dai licked his lips and stood without meeting her gaze. "Please forgive me." He started out the door.

Wishing she hadn't stopped him, Yayoi stood and grabbed his hand. "Please don't go. You just overwhelmed me a little is all."

He met her eyes. "You mean... You aren't angry with me?" his voice was full of hope that made her heart skip.

"Of course I'm not angry," she smiled. "I'll be out for lunch, are we going out or staying in?"

"Let's stay in, is that fine? I'll pick something up from Triple Step." Dai's fingers caressed hers for an instant as she nodded.

As soon as he left, however, all she wanted to do was wash her hand, although she didn't know why.

* * *

Yeah, it's been a while. Two weeks in Guatemala really wore me out. But here it is!


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